Improved price-performance of digital transducers, microprocessors, memory, storage, storage media, communications equipment and other devices has made possible widespread proliferation of digital audio and video media in many forms. The ubiquity of personal computers now permits countless people to access web sites from which they can access digital pictures and audio. In fact, personal computers have become such a popularly used device that it is not unusual for multiple personal computers to be found in a single home, with these computers possibly being networked with each other to share resources. However, personal computers and media available via the Internet is only one aspect of the proliferation of digital media.
Prerecorded digital media have also become commonplace. Compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs) can be found virtually everywhere. These discs allow users to build libraries of music, audio books, movies, and other forms of entertainment by making a relatively small investment and allowing for such a collection to be stored in a relatively small space. Similarly, in many homes digital cable or satellite television reception devices can be found, thereby allowing television viewers to access a vast number of programs of high audiovisual quality. Increasingly, digital satellite radio is becoming more popular in homes and automobiles, similarly allowing users access to programs high in audiovisual quality.
In addition, the reduced cost of digital recording devices allows people to even further participate in the digital realm by creating their own digital audio and video media. Standard compact disc recorders and miniature compact disc recorders allow people to create their own compilations from other prerecorded media accessed from discs or from networks such as the Internet. Such equipment also can be used for recording audio that was not previously recorded. Also, MP3 players allow for highly compressed audio files to be recorded onto computer storage disks or downloaded into small portable players.
Further, the affordability of digital cameras and video cameras allow for users to create digital photographs and movies. These digital photographs and movies can be stored on computer hard disks and transmitted via networks so that these digital video or audiovisual works can be shared with others.
For all these advancements in digital media technology, there remains a significant problem. While a user can view digital photographs on a computer monitor or listen to MP3 files through the speakers on a computer, accessing digital media this way leaves much to be desired. Computer screens are typically fairly small and, at the least, are considerably smaller than most television screens. Similarly, few computers have audio subsystems and speakers that can reproduce music as well as even modest home or even portable stereo units. Also, most people do not have their computers set up in their living rooms or other parts of their homes where they typically receive guests, making it more difficult to share their media files with those guests. It is also likely that the computer may not be located near the televisions or stereos on which users might want to access their media files. It would enhance the enjoyment of digital video and audio recordings if users could access their computer-stored media files on a device better suited to appreciate those files, regardless of the proximity of the media device with respect to the computer.
Moreover, where there are various forms and stores of media residing on a computer in a home or other environment, it is possible that people might want to be able to access the media files stored on that computer at more than one other location. Those people also might want to access those media files at the same time. One issue presented by this is determining how different users can access this media at a single time. Another issue is the possibility that some of the media content stored on the computer is not appropriate for all persons who may want access to other media stored on that computer. For one example, one person in this environment may not like the music stored by another person in the environment. For another example, one person may wish to store his or her photographs on the server, but may or may not want others in the environment to have access to these photographs. For still another example, music with adult lyrics may not be appropriate for younger persons who may have their own, general-audience-appropriate music stored on the computer. Having personalized and secured means of access to media files is highly desirable.
Thus, there is an unmet need in the art for a media server technology allowing a personal computer to deliver media files to multiple devices, potentially simultaneously, while providing selective access to certain users to limit stored content to those for whom it is appropriate or desirable.